Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-02-12
TERMS---&2. 90 PER YEAR
"REMINISCENCES OF LONGFELLOW.


The Chair That Was Given to tho
Poet by the Children CT Cambridge.
\ Naples correspondent OF The Lon
don Net3S writes: Herr Won der Wyn-
gaert has published some "reminiscences
of the poet Longfellow, which 1 trans
late in full: "One MAY day in 1880 |
had occasion to visit the poet Longfel-
low. and sat down in a chair near him.
Come and sit here, said LOngfellow,
pointing to large easy-chair made OF
chestnut wood. | obeyed his wish,
and he asked, with beaming eyes, Is
not il Il beautiful chairg a very beauti-
ful and comfortable chair | assented
with truth. Look at it closely con-
tinued the poet; Lift up the cushion.
did so. and discovered brass tablet
inscribed with the words From the
children of Cambr .dge.' L inquired
the meaning and Longfellow related
the following story: The Cambridge
children gave me this chair on my sew
enty-sccond birthday, the 9th day of
February, 1879, and | assure you that
no acknowledgement or gift l have
ever received has more delighted me.
He passed hs hand caressingly along
the chairbacl, and looking dreamily at
it he continued with voice full of
emotion: This was once tree-a
mighty. many-branchcd, lofty chestnut
tree. Ihave seen its boUghS in spring
covered with the first green leaves and
long blossom-taSSels, which grew
darker and darker. and at last covered
the ground round about ike dusky cat
erpillars. | have listened to the rust
ling of its branches. and sung to their
melody many song in its shades. 1t
stood just in front OF the little old
rusty village smithy. spreading its
shady boughs above, into the tops
of which the sparks from the
chimney often flew. The children of CAM
bridge played around its trunk, and often
watched them try to count the nuts
forming in the twigs; and when, in au-
tumn, ripe nut was shaken down by
the wind, and went hopping along in
its green husk with a cracking sound,
it was pleasant to watch the children
run and snatch at it, and observe the
joy of the lucky possessor. In the
early morning the children assembled
in numbers to gather the harvest fallen
DUNG the night, and so. by means of
the old chestnut, | became the child
ren's friend. But the smithy was small.
and old, and tottering, or was it only
changing taste that demanded its de-
struction and re-erection? However
that may be, its last hour had come, and
the old chestnut-tyee was also condemn
ed to fall A pensive smile accompanied
| these words which l well understood.
l know the feeling of witnessing the
tearing pof many an old memory, |
know how the sight OF u favorite tree
cut down can effect one, and how bare
and dead looks its empty place. The
| children of Cambridge, continued
Longfeilow. bought the wood Of the old
tree. The village carpenter made this
chair out of it, and also the copy of an
album. on the upper side of which was
carved n picture of the old smithy ant
the ancient chestnut Within were the
portraits of the children who had pre-
pared for me this birthday surprise.
When l sit in that chair am often ov-
ercome with feeling as if | heard once
more the rustling of the old trees
branches. or the song of the birds on
the boughs, and memory recalls all the
| joys and sorrows of my life. In proof
of my gratitude, l dedicated poem
to the children of Cambridge Long
fellow handed ME a paper containing
several verses, which are not generally
known, and which l translated into
German"